Chase Shugart 'excited' for NRI opportunity with Red Sox
Chase Shugart will be the first person to tell you that his 2023 season didn’t go as he planned.
The Texas native battled his way through what felt like a roller coaster of highs and lows. He was closing games for Worcester at one point, and also found himself on the development list at another.
The right-hander reported early to Fort Myers last Monday after the news of earning an invite to big league Spring Training with the team. An invite Shugart called “pretty exciting” to receive.
The numbers don’t really paint the entire picture from last season. He posted his lowest K/9 since 2018 with Lowell, as well as putting up his highest ERA in a season in professional ball. He also found his way to a closer role early in the season and picked up four saves in late April and early May. However, Shugart battled an injury and had landed on the IL during the season and I had spoke with him in Worcester throughout that process.
“It’s always in the back of your head that you are not 100%.” Shugart said of his mid-season injury. “I really went out there and tried not to do too much. That’s really where I get in trouble is when I try to do too much. Even without the injury, when I try to do too much with my fastball and my slider, it stays up and that’s when I get hurt. I was really going out there and trying to attack the zone but also staying within myself and trying to attack the zone. It felt good and I had a little traffic, and I was able to get out of it. I felt ecstatic after being back out after two weeks.”
One shouldn’t put too much stock into ERA at the Triple-A level last season due to the ABS. The inflated numbers relievers have due to fewer appearances also plays a factor as well. There is no telling just how much the injury factored into his numbers either.
The NRI will be a chance to show the team he can be an option for depth at the Triple-A level once injuries or DFAs occur. Shugart mentioned “It’s a good feeling to know these guys still trust me and my stuff after the inconsistently from last season.”
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